In OffBeat‘s March 2020 issue, Geraldine Wyckoff reviewed the newest album from trombonist and vocalist David L. Harris, More Than Love, to Be a Man. At the time, the world had yet to realize the gravity of the then-impending pandemic.

It’s now July, and live music in New Orleans has been effectively silenced. But the pandemic has not placed a stranglehold on creativity. Neither have the ongoing movements against systemic racism and police violence. History may prove, in fact, that being cooped up, locked down and fed up is giving musicians like Harris the quiet opportunity to make music that is more impactful and resonant.

On July 3, Harris — who in 2017 graced the cover of OffBeat — released “We Lifted,” a song he says is “a piece of the snowball flailing to a very relevant and urgent target but only from a much larger snowball that has already been developing.” For this record, Harris utilized his chops as an MC, creating what is ultimately a bona fide hip-hop song in place of his usual traditional and contemporary jazz leanings.

Did you find it hard to feel inspired/write music in the midst of the pandemic?

Although this pandemic has been different, as long as I live and continue to observe and learn the lessons I encounter on this journey, I will write. If anything, this pandemic has helped me further open another gateway of expression, one that has no filter. One that liberates me and breathes freedom. Each day, as I solely look at myself in the mirror, so grows my acceptance of self.

Was this song inspired in part by the societal revolutions taking place in this country?

This song was inspired by continuous situations involving my people being wrongly killed, over-sentenced, forgotten, miseducated and repeatedly sold dreams of equal opportunity and now watching us realize the only way to create the society we deserve is to come together to unite and plan — whether it be protest, voting, petitions, isolated community meetings or exercising our rights to bear arms.

To create a society of truth I believe that the artist must stop the whitewashing of our narrative and state it bluntly so that the people can become accustomed to what our reality actually is. I’m not in the business of continuing to further the idea of what our experience is only to the point of comfort or creating music highlighting past experiences but never reflecting our current state.

I’m proud that we are working together and as a morale boost I wrote this song to support the movement making sure that the issues of police brutality, efforts to silence our voices, and biased opportunities based on gender/ethnicity aren’t forgotten and stay at the forefront of our efforts.

The society I speak of isn’t one where the artist shapes their art to make the listener comfortable. The artist reflects their honest perspective of what they see and feel or hope to.

I also wanted to reflect “some” of the contributions we have been able to produce in society despite our experience.

How does “We Lifted” reflect your personal artistry and would you say it represents an exploration of your musicality that may not have happened if things were “normal”? I.e. is this song a direct result of upheaval?

More than I am an artist, I am a man. For that reason, I must speak up and be not influenced by the means of making everyone comfortable. I know that there are many things that my people may want to say and as someone who has chosen music and words as my expression, I have a duty to speak from not only my heart but from the hearts of everyone I love. These struggles have not just begun and I can’t continue to make music that dances around change. I believe that through my courage I will inspire others to be unapologetically themselves. I can say that from the moment I finished my last album, about a year ago, there was a feeling inside of me saying “There’s more to say…” I think in that moment my delivery began to shift, and “We Lifted” is somewhat of a piece of the snowball flailing to a very relevant and urgent target but only from a much larger snowball that has already been developing.

How has the pandemic directly affected your life as a musician, and how has it changed the way you think about the world?

Since this pandemic, my lack of contact with others has allowed me to deal with aspects of myself not in comparison to anyone else. Reevaluating why I chose music and accepting that although my tours, local concerts and clinician engagements have all been cancelled, I can always continue to highlight the truths and foster a more in-depth understanding of myself.

Questions like, “What are you willing to do now that you aren’t making money from music?” You know, real questions that only you can answer for yourself. I’ve had to deal with that and begin to accept the world’s idea of the value of what we do varies a great deal.

What have you been working on since things got crazy, and how have you managed to maintain a relationship with your audience from home?

Personal one-on-one conversations are more common. Talks about life and perspective are happening with my audience. My work has been directed on revealing more of my truths through writing and composing and focusing on keeping my finances in our communities so that we may build our economic power and continue to buy and own property. I’ve got love for my fans and appreciate their continued support and am continuously working to share art that feeds humanities need for growth and genuine connection. When I have something to share, I do.

The full version of “We Lifted” is available exclusively on the official website for David L. Harris.